Battle Mechanics

ETAPE 2 of 5 — Battle Mechanics

This document covers the full flow of a battle from start to end. How a turn is structured, how cards are drawn and played, how damage is applied, how the heat system actually triggers, and how a battle ends.

Prerequisite: ETAPE 1 (Universe Foundation) — read first.

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1. PRE-BATTLE SETUP

Before a battle begins, several things must be in place.

Deck composition rules

The deck is shuffled at battle start. Player has no control over draw order.

Starting state (default)

When a battle begins, both players (or player vs AI) start with:

Note: starting Energy is 0 — energy regenerates at start of each turn based on Reactor Core health (more on this below).

Ship Core deployment

The chosen Ship Core comes into play immediately at battle start. It is always active, providing its passive effect for the entire battle. It cannot be destroyed (though some Ship Cores have conditional vulnerabilities).

Pilot bonus activation

The pilot class passive is active from turn 1. It does not require an action to "play" — it's a permanent modifier.

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2. THE TURN STRUCTURE

A turn is divided into phases. They always execute in order. Some phases happen automatically — others require player action.

Phase 1: Start of Turn (automatic)

Three things happen, in order:

1. Heat decrease: Heat -1 (minimum 0)
2. Shield regeneration: Shield Capacity +2 (capped at max 40 unless modified)
3. Energy refill: Energy fills based on Reactor Core health:
   • Reactor 21-30: gain 5 energy (full refill)
   • Reactor 11-20: gain 4 energy
   • Reactor 1-10: gain 3 energy
   • Reactor 0: alt-loss condition triggers immediately
4. Card draw: Draw 1 card. (If deck is empty, take 3 damage and lose hand size by 1 — fatigue rule.)

Phase 2: Effects Trigger (automatic)

Any "start of turn" abilities on cards or Ship Core resolve here. Examples:

• "At start of turn, gain 1 energy."
• "At start of turn, deal 2 damage to opponent."
• "Ship Core: at start of turn, draw an extra card if hull is below 30."

Phase 3: Main Phase (player action)

This is where most of the game happens. The player:

• Plays cards by paying their energy cost
• Activates abilities on cards already in play
• Targets enemy subsystems with offensive cards
• Buffs own subsystems with defensive cards
• Triggers field effects, drone launches, AI routines

Cards may be played in any order, any number of times, as long as energy remains and Heat allows it.

Some cards have keyword restrictions (e.g. "Reactive — only play during enemy turn"). These cannot be played in your own Main Phase.

Phase 4: End of Turn (player action)

Player clicks End Turn button. This locks in the turn. After end turn:

1. End-of-turn triggers: Cards with "at end of turn" effects resolve.
2. Heat increase from this turn: All Heat generated by cards played this turn is now applied.
3. Heat penalties: If Heat is now 9 or 10, take 2 self-damage immediately.
4. Hand check: If hand exceeds 10 cards, discard down to 10 (player chooses which).
5. Pass to opponent.

Phase 5: Opponent Turn

Opponent (AI or human) executes their own Phase 1-4 in order. During this phase, the player can ONLY play cards with the Reactive keyword (see ETAPE 5 keyword glossary).

After opponent ends their turn, control returns to player and the cycle repeats.

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3. PLAYING A CARD

When a card is selected from hand:

1. Energy check: Does player have enough energy? Card cost includes Heat penalty (+1 if Heat is 6-8).
2. Subsystem check: Does the relevant subsystem allow it? E.g. a Weapon card cannot be played if Weapons Array = 0.
3. Target selection: If the card targets something (an enemy subsystem, a specific drone, a card in play), the player must choose. If no valid targets exist, card cannot be played.
4. Cost paid: Energy deducted. Heat added if applicable. Subsystem strain applied if applicable.
5. Effect resolves: Damage, healing, draw, summon, buff, debuff, etc.
6. Card destination: Card goes to discard pile (most cards), back to hand (rare bounce effects), exile (some effects), or stays in play (Drones, Modules, Fields, Equipment).

Card cost calculation example

A Weapon card with energy cost 3, Heat cost 2, played on turn 4:

Cards do not show Heat penalty in their printed cost — only the base cost is shown. The UI applies the penalty automatically and the player sees the adjusted cost when hovering.

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4. THE 9 CARD TYPES IN PLAY (BRIEF — FULL DETAIL IN ETAPE 3)

Cards behave differently based on type. Here's the high-level behavior:

One-shot cards (Weapon, Maneuver, Defense): play once, discard.

Persistent cards (Drone, AI Routine, Module, Equipment, Field): stay on board until destroyed or replaced.

Ship Core: unique permanent. One per deck. Cannot be destroyed by normal damage.

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5. DAMAGE APPLICATION

When damage is dealt to an opponent (or self), it follows a strict order of operations.

Damage hits Shield first

If opponent has Shield Capacity > 0, damage is subtracted from Shield until Shield = 0. Excess damage carries over to Hull.

Example: 10 damage dealt to opponent with 7 Shield + 60 Hull.

• 7 damage absorbed by Shield (Shield = 0)
• 3 damage carries to Hull (Hull = 57)

Damage can target subsystems directly

Some cards bypass Shield and target subsystems directly. Card text will say "Pierce" or "deal damage to opponent's [subsystem] directly" — these skip Shield.

Example: "Reactor Strike — deal 5 damage to enemy Reactor Core, ignore shields."

• Shield untouched
• Reactor -5 (regardless of Shield value)

Damage can be split

Some cards deal damage to multiple targets. "Splash" or "Cascade" keywords. Text will specify.

Healing (rare)

Healing reverses damage on a specific subsystem. Most healing is restricted to specific subsystems via card text:

• "Repair Module: restore 5 Hull"
• "Coolant Vent: restore 3 Engines, lose 2 Heat"
• "Field Medic AI: restore 3 Life Support per turn"

There is no generic "heal all" card. Each healing effect specifies its target subsystem.

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6. HEAT IN ACTION

Heat is the resource opposite of Energy — it accumulates, doesn't deplete on its own except slowly.

How heat is added

• Most Weapon cards add 1-3 Heat
• Some Modules and Equipment add Heat passively per turn (high-output engines)
• Some abilities convert resources at Heat cost ("Overcharge: spend 1 energy + 2 Heat for +3 damage")

How heat is reduced

• Automatic: -1 at start of every turn
• Vent cards: "Coolant Burst: -3 Heat, no other effect"
• Heat-trade abilities: Some cards say "Reduce Heat by X to gain Y"

Heat thresholds (LOCKED)

Strategic implication

A high-aggression Weapon-heavy deck builds Heat fast. Without Vent cards or pacing, the player will hit the 6-8 zone by turn 4-5 and start paying extra for everything. By turn 7-8 they're taking self-damage.

A balanced deck mixes Weapons (Heat-generating) with Defense and Maneuvers (no Heat). A Heat-trading combo deck deliberately builds Heat to fuel Overcharge abilities.

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7. ENERGY ECONOMY

Energy is the most basic resource. Without energy, no cards can be played.

Default energy curve

If Reactor Core is undamaged:

Default is 5 energy per turn, refreshed at start of each turn. This is a fixed value (unlike Hearthstone's growing 1→10 mana curve).

Reactor damage reduces energy

If opponent damages your Reactor:

• Reactor 21-30: still 5 energy
• Reactor 11-20: 4 energy
• Reactor 1-10: 3 energy
• Reactor 0: alt-loss

Strategic implication: Targeting enemy Reactor is a long-game plan. It doesn't deal direct hull damage but starves them of resources. Reactor-control decks try to lock the opponent at 3 energy to prevent big plays.

Ramp cards

Ramp archetype cards permanently increase max energy:

• "Auxiliary Power Cell — gain +1 max energy permanently."
• "Reactor Boost — gain 2 max energy this turn only."

Ramp is the slowest archetype. Pays off in long games but loses to aggro before it sets up.

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8. HOW DRONES WORK

Drones are persistent units on the board. Unique combat mechanic.

Drone basics

• Drone card has its own stats: Hull (mini-HP), Damage, sometimes Shield
• When played, drone is placed in player's "drone column" (max 5 drones at a time)
• Each drone attacks once per turn at start of player's main phase, dealing its Damage value to enemy hull (or assigned target)
• Drones can be targeted directly by enemy cards
• When a drone's mini-Hull = 0, drone is destroyed (goes to discard)

Drone synergies

Some cards interact only with drones:

• "Drone Boost: all your drones gain +1 damage this turn"
• "Hangar Refit: heal all friendly drones to full"
• "Targeting AI: friendly drones gain Pierce keyword for 1 turn"

Drones enable a "swarm" archetype where the player builds a wall of small units instead of relying on big single hits.

Visual representation in card art

Drone card art shows the drone being launched from hangar bay OR flying alongside the parent ship in formation. Not the drone in isolation. The relationship between drone and parent ship must be visible.

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9. HOW FIELDS WORK

Fields affect the entire battlefield, not just one ship.

Field basics

• When played, Field card is placed in dedicated "Field zone"
• Only ONE field can be active at a time per side (some Ship Cores allow 2)
• Playing a new Field destroys the old one
• Field effects apply to BOTH players unless card specifies "friendly only"

Examples

• "Asteroid Field" — both players' drones take 1 damage at start of each turn.
• "Plasma Storm — all energy costs +1 for both players."
• "Gravity Well — maneuvers cannot be played by either player."

Fields create high-impact strategic choices. Playing a Field often hurts you too — but if you've built around it, the asymmetric damage favors you.

Visual representation

Field card art shows a wide-area space phenomenon spanning the battle area. Asteroid clouds, plasma storms, gravity distortions, ion storms. Multiple ships visible in the distance to convey scale.

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10. WIN AND LOSS — DETAILED

A battle ends the instant a win/loss condition triggers. There is no grace period.

Primary loss conditions

1. Hull = 0: Game ends. Opponent wins.
2. Reactor Core = 0: Game ends immediately. Opponent wins. ("Reactor Death")
3. Life Support = 0 for 3 consecutive turns: Slow-bleed loss. Counter visible in UI.
4. Deck-out: Opponent cannot draw a card when required (after 60 cards drawn over a long battle). Rare. Triggers fatigue first.

Concession

Player can concede at any time. Opens a confirmation dialog. Concession counts as a loss for ranking purposes.

No draws

There is no draw condition. If both players reach 0 simultaneously (e.g. mutual destruction from a Field effect), tiebreakers apply:

1. Who triggered the lethal effect → loses (since they killed themselves)
2. If still tied → both lose (rare edge case, usually requires specific Mythic interactions)

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11. THE COMPLETE TURN — WORKED EXAMPLE

A concrete walkthrough of turn 3 in a battle.

State entering turn 3:

• Player Hull 55, Shield 38, Reactor 30, Weapons 30, Engines 35, Life Support 25
• Heat 4
• Energy 0 (will refill)
• Hand: 6 cards
• Deck: 49 cards remaining
• Opponent: Hull 50, Shield 30, all subsystems healthy

Phase 1 — Start of turn (automatic):

• Heat: 4 → 3
• Shield: 38 → 40 (capped)
• Energy: 0 → 5 (full refill, Reactor healthy)
• Draw 1 card → hand 7

Phase 2 — Effects trigger:

• Player's "Tactical AI" Module triggers: "At start of turn, draw an extra card if hand size < 8" → draw, hand 8
• No other triggers active

Phase 3 — Main phase:

Player plays:

1. "Pulse Tap" (Weapon, cost 1, damage 6, heat +1): pays 1 energy, 6 damage to opponent. Shield 30 → 24.
2. "Quick Shield" (Defense, cost 1, +6 Shield self): pays 1 energy. Own Shield 40 → 40 (was capped, no effect).
3. "Strafe Burn" (Maneuver, cost 2, deal 4 damage to enemy Engines, draw 1): pays 2 energy. Enemy Engines 35 → 31. Draw 1 card.
4. Energy remaining: 5 - 1 - 1 - 2 = 1. Player has more cards but can't afford them.

Phase 4 — End of turn:

• End-of-turn triggers: none active
• Heat from this turn: +1 (from Pulse Tap)
• New Heat: 3 + 1 = 4
• No Heat penalty (still under 6)
• Hand check: 8 cards, OK (under 10 limit)
• Pass to opponent

Phase 5 — Opponent turn:

Opponent does their own Phase 1-4. Player can only react with Reactive cards. Opponent plays a Weapon dealing 8 damage. Player's Shield 40 → 32. Opponent ends turn.

State entering turn 4:

• Player Hull 55 (unchanged), Shield 32, etc.
• Opponent Hull 44 (took 6 from Pulse Tap), Shield 24, Engines 31

The cycle continues until a win/loss condition triggers.

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12. KEY TAKEAWAYS

After reading ETAPE 1 + 2, the reader understands:

1. What voidexa is: ship-to-ship space combat TCG, deep space setting, ship is your character
2. What it isn't: not a shooter, not fantasy, not a man-to-man game
3. Core mechanics: 6 subsystems, Heat, Energy, deck of 60 cards, Ship Core permanent
4. Turn flow: Start (automatic) → Effects → Main Phase → End → Opponent
5. Damage routing: Shield first, then Hull, with Pierce bypassing Shield
6. Win conditions: Hull 0, Reactor 0, or Life Support 0 for 3 turns
7. 9 card types: mix of one-shot and persistent, each with its own visual grammar

This is the foundation. ETAPE 3 dives into each of the 9 card types in full detail with mechanical definition, visual rules, and example art prompts that pass the universe-test.

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End of Etape 2.